It’s a sit we’d consider as we live nearby- but I think what needs to be included is an honest assessment/description of each dog’s medical conditions/pooping arrangements etc plus how nice they are too 
The outdoor cat is fine….
and the Tortoise too.
There’s been quite a few horror stories re older dogs and incontinence and smelly homes as a result of this so perhaps address this concern head on. THS has a weird ‘sitter pays the Vet rule’- so being extra clear about Vet bills really helps. You need to include a local decision maker for any PTS moments. The Vet being nearby is ‘good’… but how would the dog (s) be transported there?
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We are in MS and I am finding that to be the case as well.
Odds on THS aren’t like a lottery, where every ticket has the same chances. Because of the large number of variables – such as sitter and host preferences, pets and their needs, timing, existing obligations, etc., – each sit has its own odds each time a listing is posted. Even if THS has all the data, they couldn’t calculate odds for each sit, given the changing variables.
The most telling thing – without needing data at all – is if someone’s not getting applicants, or is getting few, is that the host has a problem. They can check out competing sits in the same area, over roughly the same time frame, and see how they measure up or not. Then maybe better market their listing with better info, better photos, better incentives, etc. But ultimately some sits will go unfilled or get canceled, which is part of why everyone should have a fallback plan.
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I too have had trouble this year.
Still trying to get a sitter for next month. Is there any way of “ boosting “ a sit when it is only 3 weeks away ? I know you can do a last minute one when there is a week to go. Getting a bit desperate now. It is to cover for a sit we are doing through THS ourselves
(Listing added to member’s Forum profile)
I heard that if you pause and then unpause your listing then it comes up as a ‘new’ listing, so that may help.
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Wow! Thanks so much to all for responding and some very good points here, plus ones I can amend and highlight on my listing. I really do appreciate all this input!
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Yes - I agree. I honestly think there are a lot more HO now. Not necessarily a bad thing of course for everybody; it’s just the first time in all these years I haven’t had a response within a few days! I do think the point about my dogs being older is relevant and I must include details of how they are (good, in fact at time of writing - they take after my 96 yr old mother who still lives alone, independently and with only basic support from me and who still walks to our local shops here…!)
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Hi, yes - I love Hampshire (we nearly bought a house in East Meon… but then moved here instead, but the countryside is so beautiful in Hampshire)
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Very interesting @Maggie8K - I think all this is pertinent and does affect people’s plans for travelling and all that goes with it.
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Yes - very good point @KittySitter. I feel I have to include the tortoise because we do actually have one although he’s little trouble as he wanders around his own enclosure. I will see what I’ve written about him in my listing in a minute.
One thing I’m very against on THS is the whole vet thing. Our vet is literally a five minute walk from here. We have used this vet (part of a big group) for the last five years and so they know our animals. I could check to see if they would do a call-out though if necessary, especially given they are so physically near us. Also, we have given a car for HS to use in the past and that worked out well - however, one of the issues is insurance as we found our Insurers were very particular on the driver’s originating country (one of a couple was Dutch and they agreed insurance on them, but not his partner, who was Canadian - idk why. Drivers would also have to be comfortable driving on the left hand side and also with a manual gear shift).
Both our dogs are very fit and well for their age which is somewhat surprising really, but we do take care to feed them well and exercise them appropriately - which is not too much.
I will amend the section on my cat; she’s not able to get out of the garden fortunately as we’ve secured it, cat-Fort-Knox style! but I like her in at night.
Yes, @BonnyinBrighton, I agree. I need to amend and make this more clear. Our dogs don’t smell (thank goodness - I couldn’t abide that!) and are pretty fit despite reducing their exercise over the last few years. The cat isn’t outdoor-outdoor (in that she doesn’t leave the garden as we’ve secured it) - it’s clear I need to rewrite a few things!
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Yes @KC1102, I think this is true. Things change over time. I can organise a back up plan, it’s just that we have really loved the THS format so far - perhaps we have been v lucky, but we have had the most wonderful pet sitters over the years through this format, who also seemed to have enjoyed themselves. One couple literally travelled the south and south-east when they were staying with us as we organised a car for them.
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Phew - thank you, @Jenny !
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I have lots of hosts inviting me to sit at fairly short notice but I’m booked up months ahead. I don’t think there’s so much a lack of sitters so much as hosts not planning ahead.
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Lovely village as long as you’re off the main road, my folks almost bought there too 
#smallworld
The planning ahead thing is key! I have seen so many three- to four- week sits posted just two weeks in advance and then the HOs are surprised they don’t have any applicants. I’m now booked through March of next year. I realize some people do have last-minute emergencies or are super spontaneous, but in general if someone is planning a longer trip they should post their sit as soon as possible.
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Yes, I do understand, but we never plan our trips more than two months out, at the most and my point is really that we have never had a problem before with getting sitters. I do appreciate that if that is increasingly not going to work for sitters (not being able to plan months in advance) then the format also wouldn’t work for me and other people who are unable to plan that far ahead for various reasons.
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Yes @Wildcolonialgirl that’s the point I’m making really. In the past, you could finally get time to go on holiday with a month or so’s notice, and never have a problem getting a Sitter. Now if sitters are able to get situations when they can be booked up months in advance, that’s great, but it doesn’t work for the many HO’s like me who simply are not able to book holidays so far in advance. I USED to be able to, with no problems, but I think the THS format may not work very well in the future for many HO’s with this trend.